Page 51 of Dragon Tempted

“You were just attacked by Templars. What if she comes after you?”

He shrugged. “Witches or Templars. They’re going to keep coming after me regardless. If we think Mia is the key to help us break the curse, then I say it’s worth it.”

Sienna looked at Adam, who inclined his head at her before she responded to John. “Let’s start with Megan trying to communicate with her through the chat group to see if Mia will respond. We can always dangle the carrot if we don’t hear from her. Eric, Megan, are you okay with that?”

Megan nodded. Eric wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulder before answering a reluctant, “Yes.”

“Great.” Sienna took a step back. “As soon as Jonas has any information for us on his computer program, I’ll let everyone know.”

They filed out of the room. Sienna held back and John followed suit until they were the only two remaining.

“I know you weren’t expecting to deal with everyone tonight.”

“It is what it is.”

Her eyes danced. “That’s a very laid-back answer.”

“Coming from me, you mean.”

She headed toward the office door. “Well…yes. Thank you for coming to dinner. The girls were tickled you were there, especially Lily.”

Warmth filled his chest. “Tell them good night for me.”

They reached the foyer, and Marcus walked up to them. “I can take you back to the cabin if you’re ready.”

“Unka Gumpy!” Bella yelled.

He turned to see Megan carrying Bella and Lily skipping next to Tessa as they walked toward him.

“The girls wanted to say good night,” Megan said.

Bella held her arms out to him, and he swallowed before taking her from Megan. Lily wrapped her arms around his legs, and he stood there speechless.

He had spent centuries on the run, trying to find a way to break a curse and return magic to the world again. He’d faced numerous obstacles and dangers—droughts, plagues, wars—everything had been thrown at him.

So why did two little girls almost bring him to his knees? Sienna stood in front of him with a brilliant smile and shiny eyes. Correction. There was no almost about it. Why did two little girls and their spitfire aunt bring him to his knees?

Chapter 18

What a night. Sienna’s head spun with too much information, too much worry, too much emotion. Which was why she was sitting on the couch with a glass of too much wine.

The girls had cleaned up their toys and drawings from earlier, and Megan and Tessa had shuttled them upstairs to bed a while ago with a promise of joining Sienna for a drink. She took a sip of wine as she thought back to John standing in the foyer with Bella in his arms and Lily hugging his legs.

Good Lord. What a sight.

He’d looked like a deer caught in the headlights. And it made her heart ache that he hadn’t had love and affection in his life. With the girls, love was a full-tilt roller coaster ride. John needed to strap himself in and hold on.

She sighed. At least he didn’t talk about leaving tonight especially after hearing about the Templars following Tessa. Although his willingness to use himself as bait made Sienna’s stomach turn. When had he become so important to her?

Voices pulled Sienna from her thoughts when Tessa and Megan walked into the room. And unfortunately they were both sporting Cheshire-cat grins.

Sienna’s nerves jumped to attention. “What?”

Instead of responding, Megan sat on one side of her and Tessa on the other. Now her nerves were dancing the tango.

Tessa poured a glass of wine and handed it to Megan before pouring one for herself and taking a leisurely sip.

Sienna’s inner voice screamed, Spit it out already!